The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office would like to offer the following safety precautions to parents in order to help keep the community’s children safe on Halloween.
This year be mindful that there will be several events across Hamilton County celebrating Halloween occurring each night beginning Friday and concluding on Monday.
During this time, please be mindful when driving after dark as small children may be canvassing neighborhoods looking for tasty treats.
If a neighborhood has a Neighborhood Watch or Homeowners Association, it is encouraged to place signs coming in and out of the subdivision informing residents which night Halloween will be celebrated on to increase driver awareness.
When trick-or-treating, parents should remember the following safety precautions:
For Families and Trick-or-Treaters:
Children should always trick-or-treat with an adult, especially those under the age of 12
If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups
Know the area your children are trick-or-treating in and if there are any sexual predators in that particular neighborhood or area
Do not eat any candy that is not properly wrapped or appears suspicious
Parents should look and sort through all candy received to check for problems or suspicious items
Tell your children to never go inside someone’s house they don’t know
Make sure you children’s costumes are visible and have reflective markings or glow lights
Avoid costumes that are all black and blend into the darkness, especially those without proper reflective gear
Always use non-toxic Halloween make-up (Make sure to test in small area first to avoid allergic reactions)
Give your children flashlights to help light their way and make them more noticeable to oncoming traffic
Remember to cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks
Teach your children to “Look left, right and left again” when crossing and keep looking as you cross
Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street
Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them
Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible
Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings
Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars
For Vehicle Drivers:
Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Remember children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways
Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs
Enter and exit driveways, neighborhoods, and alleyways slowly and carefully
Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings
Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances
Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30-9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours